Maura Isles was perhaps the only schoolchild in existence whose sole reason for dreading the start of school was that it put a limit on her learning.

For the fifteen years of life she had so far experienced, travel and living abroad were all she knew. Summer vacations were filled with day-long excursions studying the works at the Louvre, the Uffizi Gallery, the Tate; practicing her French as she wandered along the Champ-Elysees, trying her hand at following along to Spanish music she heard at the Palau de la Música in Barcelona. She might drop by to hear a sermon at the Bevis Marks Synagogue and then pop over to St. Paul's the next day. If she was lucky, her mother might allow to her to spend some time with her in her Parisian studio, and maybe her father would take her along for a lecture in Zagreb.

The world was a beautiful place. It was just too lonely for Maura's liking.

In a museum she might just be a tourist dropping by for one day, maybe her friends had all wanted to go someplace else. On Portobello Road, maybe she was by herself because she was shopping for gifts and didn't want to spoil the surprise. As the stranger in a congregation, maybe she was just trying to find something to believe in and oh, we hope maybe she'll find her faith someday.

But at school, she was that strange, studious girl who had no friends. No mystery surrounded her, because mystery implied something somebody was interested in solving. At school her learning was confined to a classroom, black-and-white maps, and uncomfortable chairs. Instead of helpful museum workers or cheerful tourists, she had impatient teachers and classmates who mocked.

As her first year of high school dwindled to a close, she could only wait with bated breath to find out where she and her parents would be spending the summer this year. Maybe Paris again, maybe Prague. Maybe some place really exciting and new, like Nigeria or China or Brazil. She still loved Europe, of course, and knew that there was still plenty to see, but there was so much more of the world that she had yet to discover. When she asked at dinner one night with an air of casualness where the summer might take them, her parents exchanged a look.

"Shall you tell her, Desmond, or shall I?" Constance asked.

"Tell me what?" Maura asked, looking back and forth between them.

Smiling at his daughter's excitement, Desmond replied, "This all might seem a bit sudden to you, but I know my girl's always up for anything. You're brave and you're always excited about exploring new things. I'm very proud of you for that."

"Are we moving to the arctic?" Maura asked.

Her parents chuckled politely at the attempted joke, before her father said, "You know I grew up in Boston, Maura. In Massachusetts, in the United States? I was offered a teaching job at BCU, the old alma mater, and well…" He took a deep breath. "After much consideration, your mother and I have decided to move to Boston for the foreseeable future."

Maura didn't respond to this right away. She stared at her father for quite some time, prompting Constance to reach across the table for her hand and ask whether she was all right. "I'm fantastic," Maura said in a weak voice. "I'm—I'm wonderful!"

"Really?" Desmond asked.

She laughed in relief. "Yes! Oh yes, oh how fascinating—Boston! Think of all the modern history there!" (Modern to her, of course, being less than two centuries old.) "It's the birthplace of President John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and Calvin Coolidge—oh, but not just political history; Louisa May Alcott was born there, as well! Maybe I could see her house! Maybe I could visit Walden Pond!"

"Maybe you could," Constance said, grinning at Maura's enthusiasm. "And, ah, maybe you could try…"

The change of Constance's tone worried Maura. "Try what?"

"Due to the last-minute nature of this decision, we were unable to secure a spot in a private school," Desmond said. "But as it transpires, an old friend of mine is the administrator over one of Boston's most highly esteemed public high schools, and I've struck a bargain with him. I told him you were the one who saved the Faulkners' boy from choking last summer when nobody else had a handle on what to do, and he thought that was mighty impressive! So he has agreed to let you spend your breaks in the nurse's office instead of study hall."

"Really?" Maura gasped.

"Yes, ma'am!"

"I have a condition, Maura," Constance said, cuing both her daughter and husband to look at her curiously. "I want you to try and make friends at this new school."

Maura's smile fell. "You think I don't try?"

"Do you?" When this garnered no response, Constance said, "Give the other kids a chance, darling. They'll see what a fine girl you are."

That night, Maura had fallen asleep wondering if she could convince any teenagers in Boston to go to a symphony by the Pops rather than spend the night in front of a television set, which was what she heard most of the kids in America did these days.

On the first day of school, she had been instructed to check in with the nurse during home room to get acquainted. She had expected that they would be alone, as surely nothing could happen to a student this early in the day, when a tall, tanned girl stumbled in. She looked from the nurse to Maura, and Maura could swear she saw recognition dawning in her features. And… was she blushing?

The nurse interrupted her thoughts by sighing with affectionate exasperation. "This has to be some kind of record for you, hasn't it, Calamity Jane?"

"Aw, you know you missed me this summer, you old broad," Jane snorted, wincing as she touched her nose. "Look, Winnie sent me down here t—"

She was almost knocked over when a boy came barreling into the nurse's office. "Mrs. Johns, come quick! Pete Smith fell don't the stairs and he can't move his leg!"

Mrs. Johns jumped to her feet and ran over to the door. "Maura?" she said. "Get some ice for Jane's nose and then send her back from whence she came!"

Jane waved as the nurse left, then turned and shrugged at Maura. She wished like hell that her dress had some pockets she might stuff her fists into; as it was, she had no idea what to do with her hands. One at least was occupied in clutching her books, but the other hung uselessly by her side and she was self-conscious about it. She cleared her throat, and Maura got to her feet.

"Hi! I'm Maura Isles," she said, holding out her hand.

Jane glanced down at Maura's hand, back at her face, then brushed past her. "And I'm here for some ice, I guess."

Maura let her hand drop, but refused to be deterred so quickly. "I could pop that back into place for you," she said, following Jane back to the desk.

Jane turned and raised an eyebrow. "How d'you mean?"

"It appears to be a hairline fracture," Maura said, looking at Jane's nose. "The nasal bone above the nasal lateral cartilage."

"Pee-yu, what?"

Maura hurried to explain, "Don't worry, it's not disfiguring." She studied Jane's face a little longer, and when she dared attempt to make eye contact, she was surprised to see that Jane was staring at her. Jane's gaze shifted once she realized she'd been caught, and Maura asked, "Do I have something on my face?"

"No."

"Then why were you studying me like that?"

Because holy hell your face is just as gorgeous as the rest of you. "Oh gee," she drawled. "Because you really send me!"

Maura's brow furrowed in confusion. "Send you where?"

"Really? C'mon, it's… you know, like a saying? I was just joking."

"What's it mean?"

"Never mind," Jane scoffed. "Look, can you fix this thing or not?"

Frowning, Maura said, "Okay, it might hurt a little."

Jane only rolled her eyes and shrugged again. But her eyes were drawn back to Maura's face as the girl took Jane's chin between delicate fingers, surveying the best way to go about this. She traced her fingers to the left side of Jane's jaw (where Jane prayed they would stay, not going lower for a pulse point, where Maura was sure to feel her pulse hammering along). She indeed let her fingers rest here as she raised the index finger of her other hand to the bridge of Jane's nose. Maura was too focused on this task to notice that Jane's eyes were staring directly at her concentrated hazel ones, but then they were both pulled out of their respective reveries by the loud cracking noise that was Jane's bone being shoved back into place.

"OW!" Jane cried, taking a step back. It was the sound that had startled her more than anything else, but it still hurt. "A little?!"

Afraid she had misjudged the pain it would involve, Maura panicked; but rather than deal with it, she turned on her heel and walked towards the cooler in the corner of the room. "You'll want to have ice on that, probably for the next twenty-fours hours," she said, opening the cooler and getting a small towel to wrap around some ice. She headed back to Jane with it. "Or you'll start to look like Sugar Ray Robinson."

Jane's scowl vanished to be replaced by an impressed grin. "You like boxing?"

Maura smiled, thinking maybe she made some progress, wishing desperately she could lie and say that yes, she loved boxing. As it was… "Well, I can't say I have much familiarity with it myself, but my father is quite fond of it. I'm afraid he hasn't any sons to discuss the sport with, so every now and then he'll drag me over to listen to bouts over the radio with him. Sugar Ray is one of his favorites."

"Well, yeah!" Jane laughed. "He's only the greatest boxer to ever live."

"Can you say that so categorically?" Maura asked.

"Hey, what's your deal, anyhow?" Jane chuckled. "I mean you're new, aren't you? How come you're here instead of home room? You don't look sick."

Maura launched into an explanation about her arrangement with the school nurse, then closed by saying, "This will actually be my first time going to an American school—and my first coed educational experience as well, now that I think about it. I've grown up attending girls' academies in France."

Jane raised her eyebrows. She wondered for a moment how she would fare in an all-girls school herself, whether there were students who were happy not to have to share classrooms or quarters with any boys in sight. "So is it true what they say about French girls?"

"What do they say about French girls?" Maura asked, her voice brimming with innocence.

"You know," Jane said suggestively, shrugging one shoulder. She took a step closer to Maura, who backed up into the nurse's desk. "I hear you cats in Europe really let loose."

"W-well, we—I mean they—don't stem from the same Puritanical societies that Americans do, so th-they sort of… are…"

Maura wasn't sure if that was a smirk or a full-on sneer unfurling on Jane's face. All she could tell was that she was starting to blush, and she wasn't sure how she was meant to interpret the fact that Jane's eyes were sweeping down up her body.

And there, Jane thought she caught it: this girl's weakness. She was red, deep red, and looking flustered as hell. Maybe she was squeamish about sex, maybe a girl at her school had made a move on her before and it had made her uncomfortable—whatever it was, it was currency Jane could bank on to use to her advantage. She herself was bold and brash; this girl seemed quiet and respectful. And yet she had brought out a harrowing insecurity in Jane that Jane hadn't even known existed until last night, and so help her, she didn't care if Maura was innocent: she was going to make the new girl feel just as out of sorts as she had made Jane. Difference being that this was Jane's turf they were on now, so unlike last night, she had home-court advantage.

"First rule of an American coed school?" Jane said huskily. She slammed the ice down on the table next to Maura's hand, causing Maura to jump. Jane's fingers brushed against the back of Maura's hand. "It's survival of the fittest out here." The bell rang, and Jane took a step back, picking up her books from the chair she'd dropped them in earlier. "Good luck, cutie."

"Wait!" Maura called out, grabbing her satchel and following Jane out the door. "Please, can you help me? I didn't get a chance to ask Nurse Johns—do you know where Ms. Green's class is?"

Jane rolled her eyes and sighed, as if this was the most aggravating question she had ever been asked. "Up that staircase, take the first le—"

Students had started milling around them, and they were interrupted by a boy who came running up and put his arm around Jane's neck. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, and Maura saw a grimace pass over her features. "Hey, Frog-face!"

"Joey, a summer abroad didn't help with your charm any?"

"Maybe not, but I got somethin' better. A motorcycle."

Jane's eyes went wide with genuine interest. "Gee whiz, no kiddin'?"

Steering Jane down the hallway, he asked, "Would I kid about something like this?"

Which left Maura looking forlornly after them.

She wasn't left alone for long, though. Tommy Rizzoli spotted her when he was coming out of his home room, and recognizing her at once, he made a beeline for her. All he had seen through the window last night was Maura in a concealing bathrobe, sitting in front of her mirror removing her makeup. She had left Tommy's view and he saw the robe get tossed in front of the window. When Jane had caught him, he'd been giggling in anticipation of her return, not realizing she had since stepped into a shower. But gosh darn if she didn't have one of the loveliest faces he had ever seen, and one that was clearly in need of a knight in shining armor.

"Hi!" he said.

She whisked around to see what kind soul had stopped, and she smiled gratefully. "Hello!"

"You look lost. Need some help?"

"I do. I'm trying to find Ms. Green's room."

"Swell, that's where I'm going! Just follow me."

Maura fell into pace next to him, and followed him up the stairs. "Thanks for helping me out. This is my first day. I mean I know it's the first day of school for everyone, but it's my first day at this school. I just moved here."

"Neat! Just you, or have you got any siblings here?"

"No, it's just me. I'm an only child."

"Lucky!" Tommy groaned. "I've got a brother and sister. Frankie's okay, but Jane can be a real pain in the a—uh, in the rear sometimes. You should be glad you're alone."

"Well, I'm used to it anyway," Maura said, her glumness going unnoticed by Tommy.

Once they reached the classroom, however, he did notice that she looked a little nervous. "Hey," he said. "You got anything going on after school?"

"I have to meet the principal with my parents. But after that, I should be available."

"You like chess?"

"I love it!"

"I figured, somehow," Tommy said with a laugh. "If you want, you could come over to my place and play a game or two …after getting Green's first assignment out of the way, that is."

"Really? I'd love to do that!" Maura said eagerly. "Thanks—uh, I'm sorry, I didn't even ask for your name."

He was already writing down his address to give her. "Tommy Rizzoli. Nice to meet you—?"

She smiled and took the slip of paper, shaking his hand. "Maura Isles."

Both of their parents were thrilled to learn about these after-school developments. Constance was enormously proud of Maura for wrangling an invitation somewhere after her first day, although Desmond pointed out (later, and in private) that it probably helped to have Maura going to school with boys. Meanwhile, Tommy had to all but bribe his mother not to be there when Maura came over. He'd been interested in one girl before who Angela hadn't entirely approved of, so she was tickled that another one—one who knew how to play chess, no less—was coming around. She had tried to engage Jane in a conversation about it, but Jane just shut herself in the bathroom, saying she had to get ready to meet Joey Grant for a date.

"Oh, how wonderful!" Angela cried. "This is fantastic!"

"Yeah, yeah," Jane mumbled from the other side of the door.

She had to move fast after her shower, changing into jeans and reasonable shoes that could be worn astride Joey's new bike. That was the only reason she was remotely interested in spending time with him again, but she was sure Angela would never approve of such an excursion. So she dressed, waited for Frankie's signal, and then dashed out of the house before Angela could catch sight of her.

"Did Jane go already?" Angela asked a minute later.

"Yep," Frankie answered. "She was real excited."

"Well, Frankie, how'd you like to take your mother on a date while Tommy's got his girl here? I'm going to the department store!" she trilled as if this would be an invitation she thought Frankie couldn't possibly resist. He looked unimpressed, however, and she added, "Plus I thought I might go for an egg cream…"

"Aw, okay."

When he got back to the room he shared with his brother, it was all he could do to keep from rolling his eyes at the amount of gel Tommy was combing into his hair. He had kept his school clothes on, a pair of jeans with a red plaid shirt, although it was now un-tucked. Frankie could not contain a laugh when Tommy winked at himself in the mirror, prompting Tommy to chuck a nearby case of shoe polish at his brother.

"Checkmate!" Maura laughed, shoving Tommy's king off the board with one victorious swipe as he groaned and sank back in his wicker chair. "Shall we go for a tiebreaker, and make it best two out of three?"

"Anything to avoid that history assignment!" Tommy said. "I'm gonna need a refresher for a third game, though. You want a Coke?"

"Sure, Tommy, thanks!"

Encouraged by the jovial attitude she had employed all evening, as well as her willingness to forgo studies in favor of chess, Tommy grinned at her. Once inside the house, he tore around the pantry, trying to find something sweet he could bring back outside to the front porch in addition to the soda. Maura remained on the porch, putting the chess pieces back in place.

Her attention was diverted when a motorcycle came roaring down the street. Frowning at the noise pollution, she watched as the bike—carrying a boy and a girl, both in leather jackets—pulled up to the Rizzoli house. The boy didn't cut the engine, but leaned over for a kiss as the girl dismounted. She granted him a quick one before glancing over at her house and seeing this very proper, very lovely girl sitting on the porch. Before the boy could drive off, she grabbed the sleeve of his jacket and brought him in for a longer kiss, much more showy than the last one. When she broke it off, he revved the engine before driving away.

She strutted up the walk, and in spite of the cool fall air, Maura felt herself getting warm. This had to be Tommy's older sister, the one he'd mentioned in passing. Jane… Jane Rizzoli.

It wasn't until she reached the porch that Maura realized they had met before: that very morning, in fact. In her defense, Jane looked quite different now than when she had in the nurse's office earlier that day. At school, she had worn appropriate clothing: a dress that reached her knees, a button-up sweater to cover her arms, and conservative loafers. Her hair had been pulled back, as well.

At the moment, she couldn't look more different. The most beautiful mane of hair Maura had ever seen was tumbling over Jane's shoulders, dark as her smoky eyes. On her feet were a pair of black Chucks, looking almost as worn as the denim pants she had rolled up at the bottom. Any demure qualities her blue gingham top might have held were nullified by the black leather jacket she was wearing over it.

"Hiya, square."

Oh goodness. At school, that voice had seemed almost charming, like the sidekick of some movie heroine might have. Out here in the evening, it felt wicked. Dangerous.

Jane stepped closer, standing right in front of Maura and looking down at the chess board, half its pieces put back. All Maura could focus on was the way Jane's hands were shoved into her pockets, thumbs out and pointed at her crotch.

"Who's winning?" she asked.

"Um—I won. I won a game, and Tommy won a game. S-so we're going to play a third one and see who wins it."

"Very interesting," Jane muttered. She leaned over the table, hovering over Maura, who was holding her breath. "Hey." She tucked her fingers under Maura's chin and tilted her face upwards, forcing those hazel eyes to look at her. "Sorry I got kinda sidetracked from showing you your classroom today. And thanks for helping to fix my nose, too. I didn't thank you for that earlier."

"Oh, it's…" Maura inhaled deeply. "It was nothing. What happened, anyway?"

She jumped when Jane's other hand struck a match on the table by Maura's arm. Jane straightened up, lighting a cigarette she'd pulled from her pocket. "Got into a scrape."

Jane was ready to fabricate a thrilling tale, and would've told a real whopper if Tommy hadn't come back through the front door just then, carrying two Cokes and a box of Twinkies under his arm. He scowled at Jane. "You know Ma's gonna flip her lid if she catches you smoking again!"

"Off to the alley then, I guess," Jane said with a shrug.

"You gonna meet Frost?"

"Mind your beeswax, kid," Jane said over her shoulder, hurrying down the front steps. She turned to walk down the alley behind their house, but looked back one more time to see if Maura was still watching her. She was. And before she had time to look away, Jane winked and blew her a kiss.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I realized while writing this chapter that it could be fun having Jane have to explain all her ('50s) slang to Maura, an opportunity I couldn't really divulge in with the noir because it wouldn't quite have meshed with the atmosphere, haha. Also I'm sort of taking a leaf out of Tamaro's book: each chapter title is going to be named after a '50s song, because I'm an old soul and love that music.
Also with the start of this, I guess I'm playing with the fact that Jane can kind of be a bully to Maura sometimes on the show- or rude, at the very least. We generally tend to avoid that in fanfics because we all love mushy, sweet Jane (especially me). And of course mushy sweet Jane is going to rear her adorable head in this story at some point, but not right away. She has to learn a little bit more about Maura first.